Interview

DALLAS — Former Washington Capitals backup goalie Philipp Grubauer wanted to be a starter. He got his wish Friday night when the Capitals dealt him and Brooks Orpik to the Colorado Avalanche for a second-round pick (47th overall) in the 2018 NHL draft here.

Grubauer has proven himself capable of handling a starting role over the past couple of years with the Caps. For much of the spring, he was the number one netminder over former Vezina Trophy-winner Braden Holtby.

“We really feel you need two really good goaltenders, and we like where Grubauer is, he’s just coming into his prime,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said. Grubauer will play alongside former Capitals starting goalie Semyon Varlamov, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

Switching back to the Caps, unless they make a trade, their backup spot will be filled by less experienced hands in 2018-19. According to Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan, Pheonix Copley, a North Pole, Alaska native who has played just two NHL games will start the season as Holtby’s understudy.

“Tough trading Brooks Orpik for what he’s done for the organization,” MacLellan said. “He’s been a big part of our culture change and a big part of the room and how we go about things. It’s hard to do, but we had to create some room to sign some players.”

DALLAS — After a marathon day of picks during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan spoke to the media on the nearly deserted draft floor late Friday night.

The big takeaway: the Capitals are closing in on a deal with star defenseman John Carlson.

“We’re really close,” MacLellan said. “Hopefully, we can close the deal over the next 24 hours.”

There is a good reason for MacLellan’s urgency. Carlson would be able to speak to other teams starting noon Sunday.

DALLAS — The New York Islanders have a new general manager, a new coach, and now a new high-scoring right winger. The team selected Oliver Wahlstrom, a 6′ 1″ American power forward with the 11th overall pick in 2018 NHL Draft here.

Wahlstrom has committed to play college hockey at Boston College. He put up impressive numbers playing for the junior hockey United States National Development Program, pacing his team with 94 points, including 48 goals. He fired 288 shots on goal in 62 games. And he’s got a hell of a one-timer. Sound like any player you know?

Wahlstrom says he tries to model his game on Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, though he bristled when I compared his style to Ovi’s.

“I don’t think I can compare anything to that guy,” Wahlstrom said with a laugh. “He’s a different breed. He was my childhood hero.”

The Washington Capitals held their annual breakdown day Wednesday when the players speak to the media, clear out their lockers, and head into the offseason. The past few years, it’s been a brutal experience to interview devastated players and disappointed brass. But the Capitals just won the Stanley Cup. This breakdown day was full of laughs, more laughs, and smiles.

Last summer, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan challenged captain Alex Ovechkin to get leaner. He did. And then he won the Rocket Richard Trophy, awarded to the player who scores the most regular-season goals. And he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. And, of course, he led the Capitals to their first Cup victory. His name will be etched on the trophy for another 65 years.

Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final was scheduled for Wednesday night. Instead, the Washington Capitals have been wildly celebrating their first Cup win in the franchise’s 44-year history for almost a week.

Caps head coach Barry Trotz, who ranks fifth all-time in NHL wins, guided them to that championship. But despite the Stanley Cup victory, Trotz’s first, his future with the Capitals is unknown. His contract expires in July. Trotz is currently engaged in discussions with Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan.

“We’re talking about it,” Trotz told reporters Wednesday at the team’s final media availability of the season. “I do want to be back. There’s some things that we have to work out. I’ve talked to Mac. If we can get them worked out, then there’s no question. I love the group of guys. I love the situation I’m in with the team, the location for my son and my wife and all that. So all that’s in place. There’s some issues that we’ve got to just work through, and we will and we’ll go from there. We’ll just work through it.”

LAS VEGAS — As pop music blared inside an empty T-Mobile Arena, a few members Washington Capitals spoke to media a couple hours before Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final. The Capitals are up three games to one on the Vegas Golden Knights. A win Thursday night would give Washington their first Stanley Cup championship in their 44-year history.

“We just want to get that fourth one,” Nicklas Backstrom said of closing out the series on the road. “Our fans have been waiting a long time for this. It’s been an emotional playoff with a lot of people involved, our fans. I think they deserve something special here.”

After winning the Presidents’ Trophy two years in a row by finishing with the best record in the NHL, the Washington Capitals were supposed to struggle this season — at least according to many hockey luminaries. The Caps had their chance at the Stanley Cup, the theory went, but with significant offseason departures and stars like Alex Ovechkin turning another year older, the 2017-18 season could have ended in a whimper.

“I view it as a two-year window,” general manager Brian MacLellan said of the Capitals’ chance of winning the Stanley Cup during the 2015-2016 season. “We’re going for it this year, we’re going for it next year, and then after that we’re evaluating where we’re at.”

So where are the Capitals three seasons later? The Eastern Conference Final. And now they’re up 1-0 in the series, a mere three wins away from the franchise’s second Stanley Cup Final appearance.

Those were the first words out of the mouth of Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz during his pregame gaggle with reporters on Saturday morning. Trotz was speaking about the Washington Capitals’ current first-line of Alex Ovechkin,Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Devante Smith-Pelly.

Tonight, the Capitals play the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of their second-round playoff battle. The series is locked at two games apiece. The Caps cannot afford the performance the top trio turned in on Thursday in Pittsburgh, a 3-1 loss for Washington that evened the series. But those three skaters will remain lined up together to start Saturday’s critical game.

“We have to be better everywhere,” Kuznetsov said after the morning skate.